EDITORIAL: An end in Afghanistan?

If reports are true that the Obama administration is considering reducing U.S. troop strength in Afghanistan to 3,000 at the end of 2014, the U.S. presence there would be effectively over.

The White House has hinted that absent an agreement with the Afghan government, the U.S. and its allies might pull out all troops when the U.N. mandate for their presence expires at the end of 2014.

It is probably fair to say to say that the American public would not be brokenhearted if we pull completely out. There are 66,000 American troops there now, turning over their outlying bases to the Afghan army. NATO commanders seem agreed that a residual force of 10,000 to 30,000 troops is needed to protect the status quo. A force of 3,000 to 6,000 could protect Kabul and Bagram air base and not much else.

A stay-behind force of 3,000 is almost the same as no presence at all.